Surface covering



Nov. 18, 1941 E. SCHATZKIN 2,263,193 7 SURFACE COVERING Filed Sept. 23, 1939 INVENTOR Elliot Sakai kin f ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE summer; COVERING I Elliot Schatzkin, New York, N. Y. Application sehtember 23, 1939, Serial No. 296,204

4 Claims This invention relates to an improved covering for walls, floors and other surfaces, and to the process for uniting together separate elements making up the covering and forapplying the covering to a surface. 9 i

The general object of the invention. isto provide a decorative sheet material consisting of a plurality of segments cut from oneor more rigid sheets, the segments'being attached to a flexible backing, wherebythe assemblyof segments and backing maybe applied as a covering to planar, uneven, curved or irregular surfaces. I

The rigid sheets may comprise glass, tile, plastic or other material adapted to be cut or broken into segments of desired size and shape.

It, is another object of the invention to provide a decorative sheet material comprising a plurality of segments attached to a flexible backing of novel composition and arrangement; The backing material preferably comprises ,a rela tively closely woven material which may be bent or creasedwithout breaking, and which maybe pulled in handling without being subject to ,eX- tension or distortion, the Woven material having a cork filler embedded within the interstices of the woven material to form a thin resilient sheet substantially all parts of which interlock, to provide the desirable characteristics more particularly detailed in my co-pending application Serial No. 296,203, filed September 23, 1939.

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel backing member adapted by means of an adhesive firmly to support a plurality of segments of rigid material such as glass, clay ceramic or the like, said backing member being formed in such manner as to insure the permanent and firm retention of the segments to the backing material and to each other.

A feature of the invention resides in the provision of a backing member for a plurality of segments separated by relatively thin fissures, said backing member having a plurality of slits formed therein and extending therethrough, said slits being in, registry With-fissures between said segments.

Another feature of the invention resides in securing a plurality of segregated segments to a backing material by means of adhesive, said backing material having slits formed therein and extending through said material in registry with fissures between said segments, and securing said assembly to a surface to be covered by means of an adhesive which penetrates through the slits of said backing material into the fissures between said segments.

thus penetrates through the sl its ,of'the backing j material serves to providea, strong permanent bond between the segments and the backing materiakancl serves further tov seal the fissures between adjacent segments and to impart a finished appearance to the wall covering.

Other objects, features and advantagesof the invention will be more apparent from the fol lowing description to be read in connection with the accompanying drawingin which: v

Fig.1 is, a view in perspective of a backing material in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective of a'sheet of cloth adapted to be used, in the fabrication of the backing material of Fig. 1;,

Fig. 3 is a View in section of. an assembly of segments and the backing material holding said segments; i i

Fig. 4 is a view in plan of the assembly of Fig.

Fig. 5 is a View in section illustrating the application of a surface covering, in accordance with the invention, to a surface such as a wall or the like to be covered; and i Fig. 6 is a magnified View of a small section of the backing materialintendedto'illustrate the use of cork filler material embedded in the interstices of the fabric.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l0 designates generally a sheet of relatively tightly woven material which is flexible and com- The adhesive which 55 pressible but substantially inextensible. Preferably textile fibres are used to form the sheet I0, but it is to be understood that the invention 7 is not limited thereto, and woven strands of fine wire, glass or the'like may be used as long as these have sufficient resistance to expansion in tension so that there will be no distortion of the sheet in the course of applying the surface covering to the surface to be covered.

For the purposes indicated in my co-pending application above referred to, sheet I0 is combined with cork embedded in the interstices thereof to form a thin, resilient sheet substantially all parts of which consist of interlocking cork and strands, the resultant product being indicated at H. The cork treated sheet is then provided with a plurality of slits l2 which are punched or cut therein so as to extend completely through the sheet II. The slits l2 are discontinuous and are arranged so that these slits will be in registry with the fissures between adjacent segments secured to the surface of the sheet II.

In practice a sheet of tile, glass or the like is preferably applied to the backing sheet I I, while the glass or tile is in relatively large sheets or sections, the glass or tile being secured to sheet II by a layer of adhesive material indicated at 13. The sheet of glass or tile is then cut or broken into a plurality of segments indicated at I4, the fissures 15 between the adjacent segments being in registry with the slits l2 formed in the backing material.

In applying the assembly, shown in Fig. 5, to a surface to be covered, the surface, such as wall 16, and the assembly of Fig. 3 are joined together by a layer of adhesive or cementitious material H. Preferably, this is accomplished by applying the cementitious material so as to provide a layer between the surface to be covered and the assembly of Fig. 3. Some of the cementitious material adjacent the wall passes through the slits l2 of the backing material and enters within the fissures l5 between the adjacent segments I4. The adhesive material which penetrates through the slits serves firmly to secure the segments M to the backing material, particularly at the edges of said segments, and further serves to seal the spaces between the segments .and to hold the segments together. The penetration of this adhesive serves not only to render the assembly more permanent and secure, but also serves to impart a finished appearance to the surface covering.

If desired, a layer of grout or joint sealing material may be applied over the exposed surfaces of the segments, and the excess thereof removed by rubbing or polishing, thereby to give assurance that no interstices between segments remain unfilled, if this is considered undesirable.

If desired, there may be applied to the edges or extremities of the assembly, a molding, suitable panel member, or a desired finish of cement or plastered material so that these edges may be made to merge with a surrounding surface to impart a finished appearance.

Since many changes may be made in the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter set forth in the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawing, be regarded as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. The process of covering a surface consisting in forming a flexible and non-breakable backing member, by imbedding cork filler material within the interstices of a fabric to form a thin resilient sheet substantially all parts of which consist of interlocking cork and fabric strands, placing a plurality of slits into the backing member, applying an adhesive substance to one side of the backing member, applying a rigid sheet to the backing member, dividing the sheet into a plurality of segments whereby lines between the segments register with the slits, applying another layer of adhesive to the opposite side of the backing member, whereby some of said adhesive enters said slits, said adhesive serving to secure the backing member and segments thereon to the surface to be covered.

2. A process according to claim 1 in which a further step is employed consisting in applying a layer of sealing material to the exposed surfaces of the segments and the interstices between them, and removing excess sealing material from said surfaces.

3. A process according to claim 1 in which the assembly of backing member and segments adhered thereto are subjected to a further step consisting in applying adhesive to a surface to be covered, then applying the backing member to said surface whereby adhesive from said surface passes through said slits in said backing member and into the lines of division between adjacent segments.

4. A backing material for securing a plurality of segments cut out of a sheet of substantially rigid material and adhered thereto by an adhesive comprising a fabric having cork material imbedded in the interstices of the fabric to form a thin resilient sheet substantially all parts of which interlock, and a plurality of slits therein whereby adhesive may pass from one side of the backing material to the opposite side and enter spaces between adjacent segments.

ELLIOT SCHATZKIN. 

